My Mommy is my Photographer

When you are born in a hospital, a professional photographer takes your child’s newborn pictures.

When you are born at home, Mommy is the professional photographer. 

Pictures taken with the help of Willow Photography and Stubby. 

Tomorrow’s photo shoot will be with Daddy.  She’s excited – can’t you tell?

I am contemplating giving Sweet Pea her own blog . . . and then at the end of her first year, printing that as her “1st Year Photo Album” . . . which I have made (or am in the process of STILL making) for each of the boys. 

Except it would be slightly bent towards all things in raising a homemaker . . . a Proverbs 31 daughter . . . and, of course, all accomplishments Sweet Pea. 

I’ll keep mulling it over. 

This post made possible by the ample amounts of time that the Hottie Hubby has allowed me to rest and abstain from all things domestic.  (This man, by the way, has been incredible. Guess what he is doing for me?  His goal is to have ALL the laundry washed, folded, and put away before he returns to work on Monday.  He has also organized parts of the kitchen, cleaned the garage, entertained the boys, took the dog to the vet, shopped, cooked or got all of the meals prepared AND cleaned up.  The Hottie is going to put me out of a job!)  

More Wordless Wednesday: Life with Sweet Pea

Yesterday,  my midwife (who is also my friend) and my birth assistant came for a visit . . . just to see how the Little Girl and I were doing . . .

 

I’m pleased to say that I am feeling more human.   

I love being able to bend and hold my boys in my lap.

And they are enjoying sharing their laps . . .

And learning how to change diapers . . .

Just wanted to let you all know . . .

Thanks for your wonderful kind words and prayers both on the blog and on Facebook. 

And if I am slow to write back . . . (if ever) know that I read all of your comments! 

But I have come to a new reality . . . I am going to have to slow down in order to keep up with four kids.  And still randomly blog.  And homeschool.  And date my husband.  And nourish my family with wholesome foods. 

It will all come together.     I don’t have to do all of it at once right now.  I’m on a babymoon!  And we are having some great meals delivered. 

Beautiful. 

Toodles!!  Remember to send me your prayer requests!

Stayed tuned for a CSN review and giveaway . . . and another Tropical Traditions review and giveaway brought to you by Mr. Smackdown!  (He is very excited about his product he is testing for the Blog!)

Sweet Pea’s Debut

We would like to introduce you to the newest member of our family, born early this morning.

Rather suddenly.  But with great joy and relief.  Never knew you could  basically skip the whole laboring part and go to birth!

 

Having had many practice starts, I was at first skeptical to announce that I was in labor.  But after waking up a 2:10 AM, with the realization that I had to move . . . I knew.

This baby was going to be born soon.

And she was.

3:21 AM, with only the Hottie, Mussie, and (of course) myself, present. 

My mom, Lynda (my midwife), and Blythe (Lynda’s assistant) were well on their way. 

Except Sweet Pea decided to travel a more direct and quicker route. 

Perhaps what brought joy to my heart most was being able to share Sweet Pea with her big brothers when they woke up..

They very much already adore her.

 

 

Well, I need another nap.  If you have any prayer requests, send them my way – I’ll be up a lot at night, with only God and Sweet Pea to talk to! 

Honesty, I Guess

Everything is done.  Except this blog post.

OK, Hottie.  You were right.  I did have one more thing to cross off of my list before Sweet Pea is born.  And I am accomplishing it right now.

There is a thing called honesty that must be dealt with before all of my children are born.  I may sound all brave and adventurous, or maybe even stupid to some of you for

1) having all of our children naturally, and

2) having two of our children at home.

I must admit I thrive on being different, going against the grain.  But honestly, I feel that naturally and at home are the safest places.  That however, is not what I wish to touch upon today. 

To endeavor to accomplish such a task as is before the Hottie and I in the upcoming days, honesty is required.  A reality check. 

For years, the idea of birth has evoked fear in my imaginative brain.  I once looked at pregnancy and birth as a medical condition, almost a sickness.  At times a battle still wages in my mind that this whole idea of growing a baby inside of me is somehow a disease and will most likely end in failure.  Chances are that something will go wrong and I will die.  It is a laborious curse thrust upon us as the result of Eve’s treachery.  It is something we must endure and even try to numb or dull.  Where does that image come from . . . I suppose the media and even the medical profession.  The hoopla surrounding the nine months that God grows your child is medicalized, almost impersonal. 

We look at this miraculous process clinically instead of a gift, artwork in action, the ultimate sculpting and artistry, a rite of passage, a legacy passed down from one generation of women to another. 

And as I battle my former perception of childbirth I am also reminded almost daily of my own imperfections as a mother, and I question why on earth the Lord would have me train up another precious individual, when I lack the self-control I am so desperately trying to instill in my offspring.

I’ve yelled this week.  I’ve thrown a few books in a miniature temper tantrum.  I have sighed.  I have lectured five minutes too long.  I have grumbled and complained.

Yet, no matter how I have screwed up this week, Sweet Pea is still coming.  I can’t change that fact.  In a few days, maybe hours, our family will be forever changed. 

And that scares me.  Change.

I get scared that this delivery will be harder than the previous three.  I’m worried about my carpeting.  What if the bed skirt my mom sewed gets a stain on it?  What if I puke . . . or worse (some of you ladies know what I mean)?  What if the Hottie can’t get home in time because of traffic?  How shall we handle the birth-day party?  What if my neck is still pinched when I go into labor?  What if my water breaks at the vet today?  Why on earth did my dog have to get a bladder infection before the baby was to arrive?  Is it OK that I don’t have my traditional tea party at Helio’s?  I still want to get a pedicure.

Those are some of my thoughts . . . rational and and unreasonable (some of them).  But I am giving you honesty.  To move through something, you have to process. 

No one climbs Mt. Everest by wishing they were at the top.  Mountaineers have to prepare and work, burn some calories--win the mental game.

To fight the mental game, I got up shortly after the Hottie this AM and read my Bible.  Knocked off two days in my B90x  B100x plan.  (Four more days of reading to go.)

As I turned into a prune, I soaked up God’s word and was fortified for this new adventure.  To have this baby, I have felt that it was imperative that I gird my mind to raise a homemaker, a pleasant girl who loved the Lord and had a gracious spirit (which is why I began reading the Bible in 90 days). 

But how can I bless my baby girl when I am really the opposite of all the gifts that I desire the Lord to bestow upon her?  I am blunt, often too honest, a seeker of a good laugh, critical, an open book, a devourer of food, quick to judge, and sometimes lazy. 

Only through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit is how . . .

• “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”  (2 Corinthians 2:15)
• “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”  (2 Corinthians 3:16-17)
• “Now it is God who has made us for this VERY purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 5:5)
• “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
• “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”  (Galatians 5: 22,23)
• And oh, I so want this to come to pass in my life so as not to pass it down to Sweet Pea, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building other us according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen .  . . Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”  (Ephesians 4: 29, 31, 32)
• “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men” (Ephesians 6:7)

I really could go on.  Almost all of Philippians, Colossians 3, and 1 Thessalonians are underlined (and water stained!)  But I need to get the dog ready.

Honesty.  The birth is coming.  I’m not slamming myself against a wall in condemnation.  I’m being honest.  Instead of reviewing a book, I am reviewing myself for a change.  I have to face the future.  Childbirth and motherhood are hard work.  So are other things, for that matter. 

I needed to get right with God this morning.  I may have some more pruning to do.

But I feel better now. 

Swimming

We may not have swam a lot this summer, but we sure are making up for it this week . . . in my bedroom, of all places.

Somebody has to, right?  Because Sweet Pea sure isn’t.

(I know Melanie . . . "When the apple is ripe, it (she!) will drop.")

Storms, Swing Sets, Red Box, and God's Word

The anniversary of the day our swing set flew is approaching. It was a crazy night. A night I don't wish to repeat. Our trees still lean from the submissive wind beating they took.

Let me just mention that soon after that swing set had been built (the first time), the hotty husband had remarked, "Nothing will ever move this heavy thing." I agree, Rainbow Play Sets are built to last.

But not to withstand a tornado.

I am not superstitious. His statement did not cause the wind storm. But it did serve as a reminder that only eternal things will remain.

While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18

At one point during this nerve wracking rain event, we gathered up one-week old Mr. Smiley and his two older brothers. We discovered that our tiny downstairs bathroom could contain two adults, a toddler, one preschooler and a large panting dog with bad breath. Any attempt to look out our windows proved futile. The wind was so strong that the rain looked like bullets with strings attached as they screamed down from the heavens. Almost as quickly as the storm started it dissipated.

In the wee-hours of the morning our neighbors ventured out. Everyone was cautious, as if our street was suffering the aftermaths of a nuclear attack. We saw more neighbors that night than normally seen during the day. You could hear fire sirens rushing from one call to the next in that soaked silence.

The hubby, always looking for adventure, went out. He discovered that the swing set had been picked up and dropped 20 feet.

My immediate self-less thought, of course was, "What on earth am I going to do without a swing set to entertain two children with a new baby in the house?" OK . . . it wasn't one of my finer or profound or spiritual comments. I am human.

This natural disaster taught me many things.

But today God showed me a new thing.

The boys and I have been trying to memorize scripture and I find I am consistent to do it as long as I have my cool Memory Cross Scripture cards. One of our current verses is:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

I always hope that somehow God will allow the boys to see Scripture in action and to see how God keeps His promises. I know that God's Word doesn't return void. But they are 2 and 4 years old.

So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me
empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

God used our trip to Red Box tonight to show me that He is at work in my children's lives. We passed by the local store that entices children with their massive collection of deluxe swing sets. Mr. Smackdown looks out the Loser Cruiser window and says, "Oh, that's the place where we got our new swing set. I like that place. I want another storm so that we can get a new swing set."

Mr. Smackdown doesn't remember how Mommy and Daddy had to work hard cleaning up the damage. He doesn't remember hearing us call the insurance company countless times. He remembers a new kiddy pool created by our twisted slide. He remembers having a picnic in his bedroom with Nana while Daddy worked. He remembers good times while hammering with Daddy. He remembers God giving us back something good from something bad. Our swing set was restored and in the process we had great times of fellowship together.

All things work for the good of those who love Him. Do you love God? I'm not promising that you will always have good come your way. God doesn't work like a Jeanie in a bottle. But He does love His children. He loves you.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

I must admit, I am so thankful that Mr. Smiley had been born the week before. Though Mr. Smiley came into the world surrounded by candle-light, it was by my choice, not due to a storm.!